Objectives - Kinematic Graphing

The Minds On Physics program consists of 15 modules. Each module covers a different topic and consists of a varying number of assignments. Every assignment addresses one or two objectives. The objectives for the Kinematic Graphing module are listed below.

Assignment 1: Basics of Position-Time
Graphs

The student should be able to identify the physical
significance of the slope for a position-time graph.

The student should be able to match a verbal description of
a given motion to the corresponding shape of a position-time
graph.

Assignment 2: Shape and Slope of
Position-Time Graphs

The student should be able to use an understanding of the
shape and slope of to extract information about the velocity of
an object.

The student should be able to use an understanding of the
shape and slope a position-time graph to extract information
about the acceleration of an object.

Assignment 3: Matching Motion and Shape
on a Position-Time Graph

The student should be able to use an understanding of the
shape and slope of a position-time graph to extract information
about the velocities of objects.

The student should be able to use an understanding of the
shape and slope of a position-time graph to extract information
about the accelerations of objects.

Assignment 4: Slope Calculations for
Position-Time Graphs

The student should be able to calculate the slope of a
graph.

The student should be able to calculate the slope of a
position-time graph and make meaning of the calculation.

Assignment 5: Basics of Velocity-Time
Graphs

The student should be able to identify the physical
significance of the slope and the area for a velocity-time
graph.

The student should be able to match a verbal description of
a given motion to the corresponding shape of a velocity-time
graph.

Assignment 6: Interpreting
Velocity-Time Graphs

The student should be able to use an understanding of the
shape and slope to extract information about the motion of an
object from a velocity-time graph.

Assignment 7: Interpreting
Velocity-Time Graphs

The student should be able to use an understanding of the
shape and slope of a velocity-time graph to extract information
about the velocity of an object.

The student should be able to use an understanding of the
shape and slope of a velocity-time graph to extract information
about the acceleration of an object.

Assignment 8: Slope and Area of a
Velocity-Time Graph

The student should be able to determine the acceleration of
an object from a velocity-time graph.

The student should be able to determine the displacement of
an object from a velocity-time graph.

Assignment 9: Graphs and Oil Drop
Diagrams

The student should be able to identify the appropriate
match between an oil-drop representation of a motion and the
position-time graph of the motion.

The student should be able to identify the appropriate
match between an oil-drop representation of a motion and the
velocity-time graph of the motion.

Assignment 10: Common Misconceptions
Concerning Motion Graphs

The student should be able to verbally describe the motion
of an object if given a position-time graph, being careful to
distinguish between velocity and acceleration information.

The student should be able to verbally describe the motion
of an object if given a velocity-time graph, being careful to
distinguish between velocity and acceleration information.

Assignment 11: Matching Position-Time
and Velocity-Time Graphs

The student should be able to match a given position-time
graph to the appropriate shape of a velocity-time graph.

The student should be able to match a given velocity-time
graph to the appropriate shape of a position-time graph.